‘侈言’ literally combines ‘侈’ (chǐ), meaning 'extravagant', 'excessive', or 'ostentatious', and ‘言’ (yán), meaning 'speech' or 'words'. Together, they form a formal noun describing speech that is boastful, exaggerated, grandiose, or unrealistically ambitious — often implying arrogance or lack of substance. It carries a distinctly negative connotation and is typically used in written or semi-formal spoken contexts, such as critiques, editorials, or literary analysis.

This term is not used for casual exaggeration among friends (e.g., 'I’m starving!') but rather for inflated claims about ability, achievement, or future plans — especially when those claims are seen as unrealistic or self-aggrandizing. It frequently appears alongside verbs like ‘发表’ (to issue), ‘充斥’ (to permeate), or ‘批评’ (to criticize), and often co-occurs with words like ‘空谈’ (empty talk) or ‘妄语’ (reckless speech). Its tone is critical and evaluative, reflecting disapproval of rhetorical excess.